


you caught me at the right time

by aiienharry



Category: Black Mirror (TV), One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Black Mirror Episode: s03e04 San Junipero, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Anxiety, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Louis/OMC is implied!, M/M, Older Harry, Older Louis, Technology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:07:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22213066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aiienharry/pseuds/aiienharry
Summary: When Harry and Louis visit San Junipero, a fun-loving beach town full of surf, sun, and sex, their lives are changed.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Louis Tomlinson/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 39





	you caught me at the right time

**Author's Note:**

> This is the most impromptu fic I have ever written. I came up with the idea while I was waiting for a family member to get out of surgery at the hospital, and it took me four days to complete and edit this. San Junipero is my favorite Black Mirror episodes, and because I haven't seen any au's of it I thought I would make one. I hope that you find joy in reading this as I have writing it. 
> 
> Please read the tags!
> 
> The title is from Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves.  
> [Here is the link the edit I made!](https://leedsau.tumblr.com/post/190199693116/you-caught-me-at-the-right-time-by-aiienharry)
> 
> DISCLAIMER: The black mirror universe is not mine! The names and people featured in this fic have been changed for entertainment purposes and to fit the narrative I am trying to tell. The two main characters' names have been changed for entertainment purposes, but their essence and creation, as well as San Junipero, belongs to the Black Mirror creators.

_“You’re in a car with a beautiful boy, and you’re trying not to tell him that you love him, and you’re trying to choke down the feeling, and you’re trembling, but he reaches over and he touches you, like a prayer for which no words exist, and you feel your heart taking root in your body, like you’ve discovered something you don’t even have a name for.”_   
_— Richard Silken, You Are Jeff_

  
**Saturday (80s)**

The streets were live with untapped energy that thrived during the night. There was always something going on, something to get into while you wait for your next adventure. Harry would call it the city that refuses to sleep but feels like that would never do it justice. And even being here for only a few months he hasn’t even seen all that there is to see here.

That’s when Harry sees him. Watches as he saunters away from some guy with his hand wrapped around his jean-clad bicep. His demeanor was playful, a stark contrast to the guy with his face screwed up in a frown. 

“Louis, c’mon.” The guy shouted, letting him go and throwing his hands in there air. “Let’s have some fun tonight, baby.”

Louis kept walking, it looked as if he was floating how effortless he looked. His auburn hair sweated stylishly across his forehead, tight black trousers fitted perfectly. On the back of his jacket was ‘Planet Hollywood’ written in red ink. Harry looked down at his blue jean shorts and crisp black and white striped polo.

And never looking back once he says with a smile. “I am having fun, baby. Why don’t you go find something for you to do.” And with that, he entered the place where the music seemed the loudest. The bloke rolled his eyes and hopped back into the car they came in, speeding down the street in a poof of gravel and dirt.

Harry looked around, at all the people with smiles on their faces and drinks in their hands. The way they cling to each other and are so full of life. Harry desperately wanted to be one of them. So he took off, looking both ways before crossing the street and entering the dancehall.

The lights were low and a combination of blue and green neon colors swirl overhead, casting everything in its path with those colors. It’s an odd choice but Harry likes it. Bodies crowded together like sardines in the middle of the floor. Couples and pairs of threes and fours dancing close under the lights. Hands up in the air or around the necks of anyone that will give them the time of day. Just to the other side of the room is a bar.

Harry stands still, unable to move as he looks out into the crowd. He’s never been in one of these dancehalls before. He has always been too scared to step inside, feels like everyone would know he doesn’t belong the moment he sat down. If he strains his neck, in the other room are gaming machines lined up. Rows and rows of them facing back to back and on the walls. There are people crowed in there too. Harry in an instant knows where he’s going next, at least he could breathe easier in there. 

There is an upper level where people are sitting around smoking and drinking, dancing the night away and shooting the breeze. That’s when Harry sees Louis again, blunt hanging loosely out of his mouth and drink in hand. He’s so effortlessly cool that it takes Harry’s breath away, he doesn’t know if he wants to be with him or be him. His hips are cocked and he’s got a crowd of people around him, all vying for his attention. Some girl has her arm wrapped around his waist, whispering in his ear and motioning to the people below. Louis’s eyes follow her motion, a couple of people wave up to him. He waves back.

It’s then that their eyes meet briefly, his and Louis’, and it’s so quick Harry is sure he imagined it, but also he knows he didn’t. It fills him with nervousness that Louis knows of him now, that he’s seen Harry just standing here looking up to him as an adoring fan. So instead of waiting by the door, he heads into the arcade.

Lost in a daze Harry wanders around the small arcade, his body collides with a random girl and he nearly jumped out of his skin. His face heating up, arms filling with goose pimples. “Shit!” He yells, laughing because of nerves and because the girl is looking at him weirdly. “Sorry I umm. Sorry,” Harry walks away and saddles up to a game, pulls a coin out of his pocket and loads it into a pac-man machine. 

“Wow, you’re really good.”

Harry shifts his eyes over quickly, getting a small glimpse of a guy with beach blonde hair and the thickest shoulder pads Harry has ever seen. He says as much, causing the guy to laugh. “I use to umm, I use to play this a lot at the arcade down on Penrose.”

“‘M Danny.” He says, holding his hand out. Harry looks at it before turning his attention back to his game. Pinky rounding the corner and effectively ending his winning streak. “Sorry uhh, didn’t mean to distract ya.”

Harry shakes his head, bringing his hand up to his hair and shaking his curls out. “It’s all right. My name’s Harry,” They shake hands and soon part ways. Harry wonders around the odds and ends of the place, weaving in and out of small rooms and soon ending up on at a small room with booths, waiters and waitresses flying all around the room and in the middle more people dancing and flipping their hair to the music. Cyndi Lauper crowning on in about how much girls love having fun. Harry gets himself a milkshake and watches as everyone around him finds someone to spend their night with. 

“Oh hey!” Harry whips his head around just in time to see the boys from outside, Louis he thinks, coming towards him, sliding in next to him and wrapping an arm around his neck. “Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” He says loudly. Whispering in Harry’s ear. “Please play along,” 

Suddenly the bloke from outside appears, motioning towards Harry. “Who the hell is this?”

“I…I,” Harry looks to Louis for help. 

“Don’t be so rude, Ryan. This is my good friend…”

“Harry.” He fills in, not wanting to leave Louis hanging. If Louis wanted him to play along and get Ryan to bugger off than he would. 

Louis beams at him, “Yes, Harry! He was the one I made plans with to meet up with, you know, without you bothering us Ryan.” He grits his teeth and rolls his eyes at this Ryan, before squeezing Harry closer. 

Ryan snarls, “It closes in two hours, love. If we don’t leave now we-“

“Ryan! How insensitive can you freaking be? Harry, my good friend, is going through a rough break up right now and that’s way more important than…entertaining you.”

Harry finally pipes up, puffing his chest and looking Ryan up and down. “Yeah umm, we were together for a year and I just need a night to…forget it all.”

Ryan looks between them, muttering a, “Whatever.” Before disappearing into the crowd. 

They both let out a sigh of relief, a soft grin making its way onto Louis’ face. His eyes crinkle as he smiles. Harry looks away with a grin on his face, heart fluttering. “Thank you, Harry. He won’t fuck off and leave me alone.” Louis reaches out and takes a sip from Harry’s milkshake, “You fuck a guy one time and now he won’t stop following you around like a sick puppy.”

Harry chokes on his spit at Louis’ frankness. “Oh umm. That’s-“

Louis laughs again at Harry’s reaction. “It’s all right, I met his ass at the Viper.” Harry stares pretending to know whatever that is. Louis laughs and is able to see right through him, “Wait…do you not know what Viper is?”

Harry shakes his head quickly, “No umm, I mostly go to the arcade down on Penrose.”

“Well,” Louis frowns, “If you don’t know what Viper is then let’s leave it at that. So what’s your story?”

“My story?” Harry questions. Louis nods, moving his arm from around his shoulders. Harry misses the weight of it. 

“Yeah like…I guess I’m just trying to find out what your interest are, what you do when no one is looking, what you like?” Louis nudges his shoulder.

Harry shakes his head, taking his milkshake back and slurping down the remaining strawberry flavored shake. He chews on the straw as he says. “I’m not really that interesting. Why do you want to get to know me?”

“Well, I’m trying to get to know more about my friend who is going through a bad break up.” Louis looks at him with something unreadable on his face. His features visibly darken, his eyebrows furrowing and mouth turned into a frown. He squints. “I just…I feel like I know you from somewhere but…are you sure you haven’t been to the Viper?”

Harry squawks out, “No. But umm…I mean I don’t really have that many interests. I just mostly keep to myself.”

Louis nudges him, “Cmon there must be something you love to do.”

Harry shrugs and looks down at the sticky vinyl table, sucking on his teeth and hoping Louis doesn’t lose interest in him because Harry is a boring person. He never really got the chance to explore himself fully.

“Well umm, let get’s something to drink.” Louis pulls Harry with him to the bar, ordering two pints and a tall glass of water. They drink in silence, Louis starting at Harry and Harry staring anywhere but Louis. 

It unnerves him. “Is there something on my face?” He asks, putting down his beer and taking a sip of the water. He knows his face is probably beet red from nerves and embarrassment, but he didn’t think it was that bad that Louis can’t stop staring.

Louis shakes his head and leans in to say, “No you’re beautiful. I…” He zeroes in on Harry’s pearl necklace, letting out a startled laugh. “Oh god, where did you get this? Looks like something my grandmother would have.”

Harry frowns and looks down at it, the light reflected off of a few pearls. “They um, they belong to my mother actually.” 

“Oh! It’s so cute. My mother would never le-“

“It’s…dumb but like, I mean it’s not dumb but it’s the only thing I have left of her so…And um, I quite like them.” Feeling self-conscious all of a sudden, Harry covers them with his palm, staring out at the sea of people dancing. 

Louis grabs his hand and pulls it away, lifting Harry’s chin before lifting his pearl necklace and smiling. “I like them…they…they make you look unique.” Louis takes a sip of his pint, looking around the room. “All these people,” He shakes his head and frowns. “Are just trying to fit in with the masses, trying to be what everyone wants them to be. But you,” He says with so much emphasis that it has Harry holding his breath. “Your…just you. And not like it’s a bad thing it just, makes you authentic in a way that no-one else is. You’re authentically you, Harold.”

Harry snorts at the nickname but lets it slide, loving the way it feels to have Louis’ knuckles brush his exposed skin. He shudders with it, and Louis looks at him with a passion Harry has never been looked at with. It makes him ache with want. But he doesn’t take, they just stare at one another, and suddenly Louis is getting closer and closer and Harry feels like everyone is staring. Suddenly wanting the ground to open up and swallow him whole his eyes dart around the room, and he knows no-one is really staring, but the ache is gone now, replaced with the same old nervous energy that he can’t seem to shake no matter how much he tries. He bolts quickly out of the dancehall, needing some fresh air and for his head to stop pounding.

It’s raining, and Harry walks a few paces to a broken down dresser where he sits and breaths and tries to come to terms with what just happen. No one has ever taken an interest in him before, has smiled at him or regarded him as anything but a nuance. Has looked at him with passion in their eyes and such a tenderness that makes him yearn for more. 

Harry blinks once and then Louis is there, trying to shield his hair from the rain but failing and throwing his hands up. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

He’s all too close, and Harry tries not to feel horrible when he backs away a little and Louis frowns.

He shakes his head, “Everyone was staring.”

“Of course they were staring, have you seen me?” He motions to himself and laughs, pinching Harry’s cheek. “I was kidding, Harold.”

“No!” Harry doesn’t mean to raise his voice, hates the way it wavers and how his heart can’t stop beating loudly in his ear. His hands are shaking as he motions. “I meant…we’re both boys so everyone was-“

Louis forces Harry’s chin up, “Harry.” He sounds tired, “You know that’s not a problem here. That no one cares, it’s…” Louis doesn’t say much more, and they drop the conversation. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I should have asked,”

And no, Harry can’t have that, can’t have Louis apologizing when Harry was being the weird one. “No no, you didn’t. I’ve just never done anything like that.” Harry’s family is strict, they hate that he’s even here, that he chooses to be here and would loathe knowing what he almost did.

Louis regards him, sitting closer. “What would you like to do that you've never done?” 

Harry thinks and thinks, and suddenly he’s thirteen again with his first crush. With his wild curls and knobby knees and a chipped tooth. He thinks back to how startled he was when he realized that his first crush was on a boy, his best mate. Pictures being thirteen and wanting to kiss his best mate, wanting to hold his hand, to roll around in the grass and hold him tight. 

Harry looks at Louis and wants to kiss him. But he doesn’t, tells him, “So many things.” And hopes that he gets his feeling across.

Louis nods and they promptly drop the conversation which Harry is thankful for. The rain falls all around them, people running around trying to save their hair or outfits while he and Louis just soak. It’s almost midnight.

“Why are you here?” Harry asks suddenly, needing the silence between them to feel less like it does. All awkward and misplaced.

Louis looks around with a smile, “To have fun. I mean it’s a party town, what else is there to do?” Harry shrugs and Louis takes his hand. He clears his throat, “I umm, I never really thought I would take a chance and do this but so far…having only been here for a few months I sorta love and hate it.”

Harry nods and the silence is back, but less awkward and more comfortable. He looks down at his watch right when it turns midnight and breathes easier than he has in years. 

**Next Week**

Harry arrives at the dancehall with a pep in his step, a letterman jacket with an L stuck real small over his heart and with newfound confidence. He’s been thinking about last week and everything that happened between him and Louis, all the times he had to kiss him and to let himself be kissed. How nervous he was and still is, but he’s not scared anymore. So when Harry spots Louis at the bar talking to some guy he smiles when their eyes meet. Looks down at himself and shrugs hoping Louis will come over.

Instead, Louis looks like a deer in the headlights, so startled by Harry’s presence. He watches as Louis knocks down the guy's pint of beer, frowns as he picks it up and yells his sorry to the barkeep, getting a dismissed hand and then the spill is gone in a blink. Surrender starts playing and everyone grabs someone and Louis is grabbing the guy and wrapping his arms around him, they sway to the beat. Harry frowns as he watches, something nasty twist in his stomach, as this guy has his hands around Louis’ waist like he’s his. But Louis also isn’t Harry’s either, and Harry feels his heart constrict with the realization that Louis doesn’t want to see him. Is actually avoiding him. But Harry has to let him know that he wants what Louis wants and that he not the same bundle of nerves ready to snap at any moment like he was last week. So Harry walks towards them, weaving in between couples while Louis watches in horror, immediately leaving when Harry gets close.

“Gotta go to the loo! I’ll be back!” He yells at his dance partner, before bolting.

Dumbfounded Harry chases after him, just hoping he can make Louis understand that he’s different now. Okay, so not different, but he’s willing to go after what he wants, and what he wants is Louis. 

“Wait!” But Louis doesn’t stop, disappearing into the toilets without so much as turning around and addressing him. Harry knows he should take a hint, should turn around and just leave, maybe go down to the beach and spend his last hours watching the waves slowly appear and disappear. But he’s always taken the safe route in his life, never anything for himself, always let himself be steered in ways others want. So he takes a second to think, takes a breath and readies for Louis to yell at him when he enters. Louis is washing his hands at the sink, looking everywhere but at Harry. They’re the only ones here. “Why are you avoiding me?” Harry asks, taking his place right beside Louis.

He watches as Louis turns off the sink, eyes closed and face void of any emotion. “What do you want?”

“I want to know why the…why the hell you’re avoiding me all of a sudden?”

Louis looks at him, his face unreadable but his eyes give everything away. He’s angry and scared at the same time. “Look Harry I…I don’t know what you want from me?”

Harry throws his hands up. “I don’t…I just want you I guess.”

Louis snorts, drying his hands and heading for the door. “You guess,”

Harry reaches out and stops him from leaving, fingers digging into Louis’ leather jacket. “I’ve never…I told you I’ve never…Can’t we just start over?”

Louis seems to think it over, taking his arm out of Harry’s grip and folding them. He looks Harry up and down before saying. “You want to get outta here?”

Without a second thought, Harry nods, and he’s following Louis out to a blue windowless jeep. They take off down the road in a flurry, his hair whipping all around his face and making Louis laugh so hard that they barely see truck barreling towards them, Louis swerves quickly and they ver off the road and into the sand before stopping. Harry feels his heart stop, his life flashing but there isn’t much to see as Louis is grabbing his shoulder and starts shaking him. 

“Holy fuck! Holy shit! Are you…are you okay?” He asks, but he breaks and starts grinning before laughing, and Harry can’t help but follow suit. 

“That was…holy shit,”

It takes them a second to get their bearings but Louis soon pulls in front of a big house all by itself on the beach, overlooking the sea. No-one moves. Harry looks out at the violent waves, watching them crash onto a lone rock out past the coastline, another set of waves taking their place and crashing. The stars sparkle brightly in here, it’s one of the many things Harry loves about this place. It feels forever.

“Harry,”

He looks over and soon Louis’ lips are on his, and his hands are wrapped around his neck, and Harry’s hands find their home on Louis’ waist. They kiss with a softness Harry hasn’t felt before, he melts into it, pulling Louis closer until he’s practically in his lap. They don’t pull apart, and soon they’re out of the car and inside the house, and suddenly he’s falling back on a bed and Louis is on top of him. 

Harry pulls away and observes Louis, watches as he gets a twinkle in his eye and throws off his jacket and shirt. “I’ve never…You have to-“ Louis nods like he gets it, and Harry kisses him as if he can transfer his thoughts into Louis’ mind. Wishing he can fade into Louis, that they can become one. Soon Harry’s shirt is off, and he smiles because Louis taste like beer and watermelon flavored gum, sweet and salty at the same time. 

“What are you smiling at?” Louis asks, rubbing a hand over his belly.

Harry shrugs, “You just taste good is all. Like gum and beer. Louis grimaces and sticks out his tongue. Harry pulls him down again to savor the taste and pulls Louis closer to his body, gasping when Louis gets a hand down his pants and takes hold of him. “Lou I-…feels good.”

“Yeah, love?” Louis grunts into his ear, pulling Harry all the way out and then himself and then grinding down. It’s like Harry sees stars, can’t stop the little grunts and moans he lets out, face heating up the louder he gets. But Louis doesn’t seem to mind if anything he encourages it. “Fuck, Harry. Say…say my name again.”

“Lou…Louis,” He says as he releases onto his and Louis’ stomach, and Louis comes a few seconds later. Harry’s name coming out past his sweet lips. He’s still hungry, and he burns with a passion he’s never experienced, starts to licks into Louis’ mouth as if to devour him. Runs his tongue down to his throat, nibbling softly like he’s seen in movies. And when he’s satisfied with the mark he’s left licks and kisses over it.

Louis moans loudly and pulls back. “Harry, fucking hell. I reckon that’s…holy shit.” Louis flops down next to him and they stare giddy at each other, the waves crashing in the distance, the smell of the sea lulling him. And still hungry and wanting they rid each other of the rest of their clothes and because they can’t keep their hands off each other Harry is pulled into Louis’ lap. When they come again, this time, it’s with Louis in his mouth and Harry in his at the same time. A sensation Harry will never forget. They clean up and swap kisses beneath the thin duvet. 

Louis pulls back and kisses his nose just to make Harry giggle. “So…was I the best you’ve had?” He asks, leaning over to kiss at Harry’s neck, making him laugh and shudder at the same time.

“I’ve never been with a man before,” Harry says, eyes slipping shut when Louis stops the attack on his neck.

“What?” Harry opens his eyes. A week ago he’d been embarrassed to admit that, but he doesn’t care, can’t help but keep smiling. Louis shakes his head and caresses his cheek. “You’ve…you’ve must have been with someone before right?”

Harry shakes his head, getting closer until they’re only inches away. Still smiling he says, “Nope! You umm, you’re my first ever everything, Lou.” Louis smiles and leans over to kiss him, and they make out for a while. And Harry has never been happier than he is now, in Louis’ bed wrapped up in a duvet with him making out to the sounds of the waves. Harry can’t help but feel so many things right now. All of his life he’s kept himself bottled up, kept his essence under lock and key for so long he can’t believe what’s happening right now. His mind wanders to what his parents would say, but he knows the answer and he knows it’s not best to dwell on that. Because here is a beautiful boy who likes Harry and wants him and doesn’t seem him as a nuance. 

He doesn’t realize he’s crying until Louis pulls back and looks at him with worry. “What’s wrong love? Did I hurt you?”

Harry shakes his head, still smiling, “No I just…I’m just happy that’s all.” Louis reaches the short distance and lightly touches Harry’s cheek. He looks…off. “What’s wrong?”

Louis shakes his head. “Nothing it’s just…I just wish…Nothing.” He reaches out and touches Harry’s pearl necklace, reaching over and kissing Harry’s chest before pulling away. He still looks off and more troubled than before.

Harry covers Louis’s hand to stop his movement. “Lou, what’s wrong?”

Louis looks so deep in thought that Harry is sure he won’t get an answer. It takes a moment, and the seconds are winding down. “I just…it sucks that this isn’t real.”

Harry frowns, “I mean technically it isn’t but I mean…who cares right? It feels real right?” Louis shrugs and Harry wishes he could do something to cheer him up, doesn’t want this to be the last he sees before midnight. “So, growing up I wasn’t the most popular kid. I mean I had friends but I wasn’t like…well you know. So this one time, my mate dared me to try and shoot milk out of my eyes.” Harry can’t help but laugh at how idiotic his younger self was, and beams when Louis starts smiling. “‘Cause we’d seen it on some show and we all thought it was the coolest thing ever. So I take my milk and fill my mouth and try my hardest to get it to shoot out my eyes. And instead of that…I don’t know what happened but I choked and then it shoots out of my nose. It was so nasty and the whole canteen was staring at me and laughing and what I hadn’t realized was that the milk shoot all over this girl, so her back was…it was gross and for the rest of the year they called me chunky milk.” 

Louis laughs, tears spilling and eyes half-closed. Mission accomplished, Harry thinks, watching as the minutes wind down. Glad that they won’t part with any bad feeling between them. Louis looks over at the clock and then back to Harry.

“Times nearly up.”

“Then let’s just lie here.”

They kiss as if they will never see each other again, with an unsatisfied hunger that feels like it’s consuming him. Soon the kissing slows, mellows out into light pecks as they embrace each other. And then in a flash, it’s gone.

**Next Week**

Louis isn’t here.

That’s Harry’s first thought when he entires the dancehall. Louis isn’t here, not at the upper leave seating area, not at the bar, and not dancing on a white and black tiled flooring. And because Harry doesn’t know where Louis goes when he’s not here he has no other leads on where he could be. He knows in an instant that something is wrong. Everything feels off and colder without Louis’ warmer presence.

So he goes to the bar and asks the barkeep. “Have you seen, Lou?”

He gives Harry a look as he cleans out a glass. “Who?”

“Louis!” He has to yell over the music that seems to get louder and louder and Harry get’s more nervous. “Louis! Comes here all the time!”

“Oh, check out the Viper. He goes there sometimes.”

Harry huffs at the mention of the Viper. “How do I get there?” The barkeep laughs before realizing he’s serious, gives him the directions and then Harry is on his way.

The Viper is…is not what he’s expecting at all, and he’s not even made it inside. The paved roads give way about a half kilometer from the big looming building and it’s just all sand. Truckers lined up everywhere, people on dirt bikes cruising around on the manmade sand dunes. There are people in cars and on the little patches of grass just…fucking, right out in the open. Harry has never felt more uncomfortable in his life. Tries not to imagine Louis out here with someone in the grass. 

When Harry finally gets inside he almost has a heart attack, someone is just standing by the door with a snake wrapped around their neck. “Fuck,” he whispers, climbing the stairs and trying to avoid the stares of everyone else. Harry is a lone fish among a den of sharks, everyone stares at him and everyone can’t seem to keep their hands off him as he passes by trying to find Louis. When he gets to the main floor everything seems to be chaotic but in order. There are cages where people are strapped up and being fucked. People just walking around with their tits out and everyone seems a little high. The smell of sex and latex is an overwhelming aroma that makes his head spin.

With no Louis insight, and his heart beating loud and louder and people keep swiping their hands across his arse or his back Harry just leaves.

He runs into someone on the way out, chin tucked into his chest, he hears a loud, “Wait.” And turns around. It’s the guy that wouldn’t leave Louis alone all those weeks ago. Ryan or something. “Aren’t you Tommo’s friend?”

“Umm, I’m Louis’ friend. Have you seen him at all I can’t find him?” Harry motions around him, “The guy at the bar said he comes here.”

He looks Harry up and down as if to analyze him, clicking his tongue and letting out a laugh. “Oh shit.” He says like he’s got Harry all figured out. It makes his skin crawl. “oh he uhh fucked you over too? Aww, don’t worry he does that. He did it to me there’s no telling who else he’s screwed with.” 

Harry frowns, humiliated and livid on Louis’s behalf. “Fuck off, you don’t know shit.” He turns to leave but is stopped again. “What?”

He looks like he regrets it in an instant, but Harry doesn’t believe that for one second. “Just…check out a different time. Try the 90s and 2000s all right? He goes there sometimes. It’s…yeah if he’s worth it.”

Harry gives a curt nod and leaves. Louis is worth it, worth way more than whatever that guy thinks of him, worth all the fussing Harry’s done tonight. 

He keeps that in mind as he stares out into the sea. Midnight couldn’t come fast enough.

**Next Week (90s)**

Harry huffs, walking in strides to the dance hall and trying to keep his curls from flopping all over his face. He decided to try the different times like was suggested to him, because what did he have to lose? He struggles with keeping his jeans up and his shirt is so big he feels like he’s swimming in it. For some reason, he came back in clothes three sizes too big, and he gets giddy when he thinks about Louis looking the same way.

But Harry checks everywhere, every nook and cranny, the toilets and even the arcade. The upper area doesn’t even have tables or chairs it’s just people dancing and smoking and falling over themselves. Even the barkeep can’t tell him anything, and he’d rather drown than go back to the Viper. Just the thought of that place makes him nauseated. Sitting at the bar he orders a pint of beer while No Scrubs plays in the background. He snorts at the irony and downs his pint.

There’s no use in just watching everyone dance, so Harry takes his leave and heads to the beach. Tries to see if Louis is at the house but all the lights are off and it’s empty, his signature red jeep gone as well. He can’t understand why Louis is avoiding him, and for a split second, he thinks about just forgetting this, that maybe this was just a fling and Louis’ moved on to something better. Someone who likes the Viper and isn’t a big bundle of nerves and who is experienced.

But Harry can’t accept this, and he knows that Louis is worth all this trouble. So before he gives up on Louis he decides to try out the 2000s, hoping to whatever is above that Louis is there and that he will get an explanation.

Midnight is slow to get here as if time knows how much Harry needs it to speed up. Like it’s telling him to calm down and think, to be rational, to put himself in Louis’ shoes. And when midnight does come it’s such a relief he feels a tear roll down his eye.

**Next Week (2000s)**

The first thing Harry notices when he sees Louis is how much longer his hair is. It curls at the nape of his neck, the same neck Harry licked and nibbled on weeks ago. He looks…good, in only the way someone from this era would look good. His jeans are baggy but they fit nice, his flannel wraps nicely over his shoulders, and even though he’s not facing Harry he can tell that Louis has the brightest smile on his face. Harry is wearing almost the same clothes but they fit a lot better, almost identical to Louis’ outfit, but he’s wearing a jean jacket.

When Louis gets finished playing dance dance revolution, Harry’s stomach drops when Louis’ eyes land on him and he almost snarls. Louis is angry in a second, saying goodbye to his dance partner and whizzing past Harry. 

They’re in the toilets again, the layout of the dancehall has changed and it’s more arcade than for dancing now. But as soon as Harry opens his mouth Louis shoots him down. “What the hell are you doing here? Why are you following me?”

Harry shakes his head, not at Louis, he’s trying to clear his mind. “Why are you avoiding me again? Why the hell are you in this time period?”

Louis gives him a look. “We screwed around once. We didn’t even fuck, so why are you acting so…so clingy?!”

Harry is taken back at the harshness of Louis’ words. Tries to look into his eyes to see if he really means it, but Louis won’t look at him, just at his reflection in the mirror. Harry swallows the lump in his throat, suddenly feeling very sick. “I…thought I meant something to you that’s all.”

Louis sighs, “Harry I can’t, I can’t do this.”

Harry doesn’t know what to say, feeling like cold water has been dumped all over him he leaves, out of the toilets and the dancehall. He feels like he’s going to be sick, and he can’t stop the tears from falling as he climbs up a set of latter and finds himself on the roof looking down at everything. The thought of going to the beach now makes him feel sick because that’s where he shared his first with Louis. Everything feels like it’s crumbling down like the rug has been pulled from under him. He feels naive and humiliated and he never wants to come back here.

Of course, as he comes to that decision Louis is there beside him, looking like a spooked cat. “‘M not going to jump,” Harry mumbles.

Louis nods, sitting next to him, hair whipping around in the wind. “I know I just…I’m sorry Harry.”

Harry can’t find it in his heart to look at Louis. Feels like he’d crumble into his arms again if he did. So he says, “How many do you think have passed over?”

Louis hums, looking down. “Like…passed over? I’d say…seventy percent, maybe eighty.”

“Why did you avoid me? Why did you…did you really meant what you said back there?” Harry needs an explanation at least.

“Harry,” Louis starts, “You have to understand I…I’m afraid of you.”

Harry whips his head around quickly. “What?” His voice wavers, “Why?”

Louis bites his bottom lip and looks down at his hands, fiddling with him. He murmurs, “I’m scared because I’ve never wanted something so bad. And I- I don’t have much time, and this was just supposed to be fun but it’s not fun anymore.” Louis looks at him with tears in his eyes, “It was supposed to be fun but it’s not and I’m scared. You freaked me out because you wanted something that I wasn’t prepared to give. And I wasn’t prepared for wanting something so bad but so out of his reach because I don’t have time.”

Harry reaches out and touches Louis for the first time in weeks, grabs his clammy hands and squeezes them. “What do you mean you don’t have time? We have all the time in the world in here.”

Louis looks away, sniffles and says in a voice barely above a whisper. “They said three months. And six months ago it was four months so who really knows.”

Harry tries to get Louis to look at him, even when he feels like his own heart is breaking in two. Louis, the Louis outside of this place, is dying. “Oh, Lou.” He says, pulling him into a hug and kissing his neck. 

“I fucking hate time,” Louis murmurs into his neck. “I fucking hate how much it looms over everything, how much we’re all just trying to get forever. But fuck forever,”

Harry pulls back, confused. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not passing over, Harry.”

“What? What do you mean? Why don’t you want to stay?” Harry, for the life of him, can’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want a chance at forever. 

Louis is shaking, Harry doesn’t know if it’s from the wind or because of how nervous he is. “I’m the only one left. And…my family didn’t passover. So I can’t…live in forever without them, it isn’t worth it, knowing I’m here while they’re just…gone permanently.”

Harry doesn’t know what to say, but he gets it sorta. Harry’s family doesn’t want him to passover either, won’t even sign the papers to let him. “I wish we…I wish we could have met outside of this place. I wish we could have found each other sooner and…not in here.”

Louis gets a look on his face, taking Harry’s hand in his. “We can! We’re both just visiting and judging from your accent you’re probably in the north of England, which is where I’m at. That’s only a train ri-“

Harry shakes his head quickly, his nerves building just from the thought. “No, I can’t let you see me like that. Out there it’s…you…I don’t look like this. I haven’t looked like this in forty years.”

“Harry, love. I haven’t looked like this in forty years either. Baby, please. Please let me come see you. I live in Doncaster.” 

Harry mulls it over, “I live in Holmes Chapel.”

Louis embraces him, giving Harry quick little pecks anywhere he can reach. “That’s only an hour and like…maybe a little more than half an hour train ride. Harry, baby…”

Harry can’t say no to Louis, no matter how nervous he is of Louis seeing him outside of this place. Outside of where he’s the most himself, he’s ever been in his life. “Okay, we can meet.” Louis yelps and passerby’s on the street look up at them with curious eyes. Harry wonders what they look like up here, what the people down below think when they see them. He hopes that they live on in their memories, as two lovers on top of a roof embracing as midnight comes. 

**The Next Day**

The sun is bright.

In all Louis’ years living in Doncaster, traveling around England, he’s never seen it like this. There’s not a cloud in the sky. 

He tells his caretaker, Niall, as much. “The weathers usually shit eighty percent of the year, huh Ni.”

Niall laughs from his seat next to Louis. Takes his wrinkled hand in his and kisses it. “I guess the sun has decided to come out just for ya today.”

Louis shakes with laughter, pulling his hand away. “Trying to seduce me, Horan?” He gives Niall a pointed look.

Niall shoulders up to Louis, laying his head down on his shoulder after kissing him on the cheek. “You know I am, lover.”

The train ride is quick, Louis underestimated just how far technology has come and the usual hour and thirty-minute ride (the way it was when he was a young lad) now only takes thirty minutes. And the car ride to the facility is even shorter. Just before Louis goes in he stops at the glass doors, looking at his reflection. He’s wearing his Sunday best, nice slacks with a white crisp shirt and his old fraying jean jacket. The graphic on the back long faded away, more _‘Pla Hollywoo’_ than _‘Planet Hollywood’_. He’s got flowers in his hand and a cap on his head. He takes a breath before stepping in, a worker leads them up to Harry’s room. 

“I’m Teddy, I take care of Harry specific.” The plump man said as he leads them to Harry’s room. “And let me tell ya he is so excited to see you. He won’t stop talking about ya.”

Louis looks at Niall, who grabs his handkerchief and wipes at the tears that fall from Louis’ eyes. “Sorry I-.” He doesn’t know what to say when they enter. But Harry is on the bed just…there, breathing and staring off into space with a tube in his neck. Louis already knows that Harry won’t really be able to talk to him.

“But he can understand everything you say,” Teddy says before leaving to give them some space. Niall goes as well. 

Louis takes some steps closer until he’s right beside Harry’s bed. He can’t help but to smile, leaning over and kisses him on the cheek, bringing the flowers close to his nose. “I brought you something, dear. They’re flowers, love. I had them pick them out especially for you.” Louis turns and places the flowers in the empty vase, taking another look at Harry before grabbing his hand and bends down as much as he can to kiss it. “Mwah,” 

If this were a different life Louis would be devastated that Harry couldn’t respond or talk to him. But Louis knows that’s just the way life is, and he’d have Harry in any way he could. He brushes some of Harry’s curls off his face, recognizes a stray one that he tucked behind Harry’s ear during the time they were in bed together. “Younger you ain’t got nothing on this, baby,” He says, just because he knows if Harry could he’d laugh and maybe kiss him. “You are so beautiful,” After a minute of talking Harry’s ear off about any and everything Niall and Teddy come to collect him. 

But before he takes his leave Teddy invites them for coffee and a story up on the third-floor cafe. Louis drinks his coffee slowly, with help from Niall. 

Teddy looks between them. “I…you know that Harry is trying to passover right?”

Louis frowns, shaking his head and smacking his lips. “No, he never mentioned it.”

Teddy looks hesitant like he knows this really isn’t his story to tell, but he does anyway. “His family is very…they don’t believe in passover, and without family or spousal consent, he’ll probably just…Look,” He levels with them. “Harry got into an accident years ago while fleeing from his family. He’d saved up enough money and was going to head to Manchester when the car he was in got into an accident and flipped and…he’s been like this since he was twenty-three. His family is…What I’m trying to say is that you are probably the best thing he has in his life. He never got to experience love or growing up or anything really until he met you.”

Louis nods tries to hold himself together but can’t help the tears that fall. He can’t imagine being bedridden and unresponsive for more than half of his life. Of never being able to see his family, or falling for someone, or being able to feel things, not living his life. All of which was taking away from Harry. He understands why he must love it there so much. And Louis would do anything to give that to him forever. 

So it comes as no shock to him, but to everyone else when he says. “Well then, I’ll marry him.”

Niall chokes on his coffee and Teddy’s ears get as red as a tomato. “Louis, are you sure you want to do that?” Niall asks, grabbing his hand.

Louis gives a curt nod, already having made up his mind. “Yes, which means I need to see him now.”

Teddy shakes his head. “I really can’t do that, but I can get the priest here tomorrow.”

“I need to see him, now.”

Teddy takes one look at him and leads him back to Harry’s room, hooking Harry up and then Louis next.

“You have five minutes," — ———— ———— ———— —

  
The beach has never been this pretty, but Louis thinks Harry’s is prettier than anything in this fake world. But if Harry needs this then he’ll do it. 

“I’ve never even been here during the way, it’s so pretty!” Harry exclaims. They’re in the eighties again, and Harry is wearing pink khaki pants and a sleeveless polo shirt. He’s glowing, and he’s smiling so big Louis immediately goes down on one knee when Harry reaches him. “Lou, what-“

“I know this is going to sound crazy. But,” He grabs Harry’s hand and gives it a kiss, tears spring to Harry’s eyes. “Will you marry me, Harry? It even rhymes,”

Harry stares at him collapses onto the sand and embraces Louis in a bone-crushing hug, giving him kisses on any exposed skin and crying hysterically. 

Louis giggles, “Is that a yes? I want to help you passover.”

And the tears don’t stop, Harry nods, can’t say any words but, “Yes, a thousand yeses.”

The Next Day

The wedding is quick and easy, the priest comes in and an hour later and one toilet break they’re married. Niall got them, wedding bands, for the occasion, and Louis slips it onto Harry’s hand, wipes away the tear that falls and leaves down to kiss his husband. 

“Forever,” He whispers into Harry’s ear when no one is looking.

And the next day Louis signs the forms and lets Harry passover. It’s just him, Niall, Teddy, and the doctor. No one questions him, but they make sure he knows what will happen, that Harry will live on forever in that world. Louis signs the papers and kisses him and holds his hand through it. It’s painless they tell him, that Harry is already uploaded and that his essence will live on forever. It even brings tears to Louis’ eyes.

__ _____ _____ ___

The first thing Harry does is go to the beach and just breathes. The sun kisses his face and warms him in ways that he hasn’t experienced in years. The wet sand beneath his feet cools him down as the waves lap at his ankles. He’s never been here during the day, and it seemed so daunting before like the city only exists at night. But this is so much better than anything the night could bring.

These are things Harry has never experienced in his life. What he had been deprived of. But now he has forever and even beyond forever. 

“Hey!” Harry doesn’t even need to turn around to know it’s Louis. “Did you forget about your husband?!” 

A smile immediately replaces his frown, and he’s running up the soft incline and sets his eyes on Louis, his husband. His husband who is dressed to the nines in a sparkly suit that hugs him in all the right places. “Louis, what are you doing?” He’s standing on his jeep, there are cans on the back of the car.

Louis looks him up and down, shaking his head. “Why aren’t you dressed up for me?”

Harry laughs, looking down and thinking about what suit he would wear, and opens them. His suit is pink, with flowers trailing up the arm. Louis does a wolf whistle, proclaiming to the world just how beautiful his husband is.

“Let’s go, babe!” 

And they hop in the car and speed off down the road, giving kisses and singing along to whatever pops up on the radio. Louis takes them to a place that overlooks the city. It’s night now, and the stars above are showing off just for them. Harry can’t keep his excitement in. “This is…fuck Louis this is amazing. Everything feels so real. I love the way the sun feels on my skin. The way...the way the sand gets between my toes.”

Louis grins, pulling him close from his place on the hood and giving Harry a searing kiss on the lips. “I’m happy for you,”

Harry can’t stop, pulls away and spins around. “Ugh, it’s so…so much better than out there. It’s like...I mean I could feel things but now I can really...feel them. I guess that doesn’t make sense but. “ Harry shrugs, “You should stay with me,” It comes tumbling out of his mouth before he has a chance to stop himself. But it’s what he wants most, to have forever with Louis. For Louis to experience this with him.

“Harry, don’t.”

Harry doesn’t see the way Louis tenses up, the way it looks like the light has been knocked out of his eyes, how he’s shivering. Can’t face him. “But you would love it here. You don’t…you can’t feel it now but if you passed over you’d understand, Lou. This feeling of, it’s like a drug.”

Louis is looking around wildly now, closing in on himself and looking close to tears. But Harry doesn’t notice, is too busy looking out at the city. He himself is too afraid to turn around and face Louis. “Harry, I told you why I can’t. Why I won’t,”

“I don’t understand why you don’t want forever with me.” Harry knows that he’s ruining this, their night together, but he has to try and get through to Louis. “We got married an-“

“I married you to help you passover,” Louis spits out.

The tone in Louis’ voice has Harry turning around, he’s pouting. Doesn’t even register what Louis has said. “I know but I just want to have this with you forever. You deserve forever, not…waiting around to die. Like fucking look at this, Lou.”

“What,” He snarls. “All this fake computer shit. None of this shit is fucking real. And like I said I only married you to help you, out of kindness.” Harry feels his throat close. Louis gets up, getting into his face. “I fucking…I told you why I couldn’t. I told you why and you just…did you even care?”

Harry tries to reach out to him but Louis jumps back like he’s just been bitten. “Louis, I do care.”

Louis shakes his head, the tears are falling now, and Louis has never looked so small before. “If you cared then you wouldn’t be asking this of me. I can try to give you anything else, but not this.”

“I understand, my family didn’t want me to passover. I just…I just don’t under-“

“It’s not the same! My family never got the fucking opportunity to passover! They…it never came to fucking Doncaster they didn’t…” Louis is walking back to his car, tries to climb in but Harry reaches for him again all for the same thing to happen again, this time Harry pushes him away. “Don’t fucking touch me! How could you continue to ask me after I told you? How do you think I can live here in this fake shit while my family never got to? Never even got a chance? Fucking…can you think about someone else but yourself for one fucking second? I’m not passing over, and that’s final.” 

“Louis please don’t leave, I’m sorry.” Harry pleads, tries to pull at the door handle but it’s locked. Louis gets in his car and leaves, the sound of the cans hitting the pavement ring in Harry’s ear. The realization that he drove Louis away hits him like a ton of bricks. How selfish he feels and foolish for constantly pushing and pushing when Louis gave all that he could give. 

The last thing he thinks about before it turns midnight and before Louis is gone is how sorry he is, and he doesn’t know how but a minute before midnight he’s in front of Louis’ limp body, his car a wreck behind him. But because this is all fake Louis turns around without a scratch. Harry reaches his hand out for Louis to take, but it’s too late.

The mornings are cold here and Harry is alone. He stays at the beach house because he’s a fool and being a fool he foolishly hopes that Louis makes an appearance. He doesn’t, but that doesn’t mean Harry doesn’t wait around just in case he does. 

During the afternoon Harry wonders around. It feels like a retirement community during the day, everyone just moves around in comfortable silence. There are shops where they sell little pastries, people working inside them with a smile. Harry passes by a stray dog with his head on someone’s lap, they’re feeding him food of his plate, giving little pats and cooing trying to convince their partner to let them keep it. There is a stillness that permeates everywhere. No one is in a rush, everyone is content to where they stand. 

It’s a lot less lively than at night, and it’s the first time Harry notices that there are older people here too, wonders why they would want to come back that way. But even with all these people mulling around Harry still misses the warm Louis brought with him. How the moon would shine just a bit brighter for him. The way he’d carcasses Harry, pictures them walking down this street hand in hand, maybe sitting down outside and feeding each other a chocolate eclair. The way Louis would look so beautiful strolling around and waving to everyone.

At night Harry stays at the beach house. It’s too hard walking around without Louis there. The dancehall doesn’t feel the same without Louis taking up his space, without people flocking to him and wanting his attention. The barkeep changes and Harry knows what that means, but he tries hard not to dwell on that. The way the city breathes feels all wrong without Louis stomping around and getting into trouble. So Harry waits because it’s all that he can do right now. And when midnight comes he blinks, is so used to being snapped back that when he opens his eyes at one passed it rocks him to his core. He gets up and watches the waves, they feel more violent, and the wind picks up more and more. 

Louis doesn’t come back, and Harry stops waiting around for him to come. All he can do is keep apologizing and hope that it reaches him somehow. Harry hopes that he hasn’t run out of time yet, but in here everything is forever, but out there time is always waiting around to sneak up on you. 

**Months Later**

Louis has never been good at stewing in his anger, he’s always quick to forgive, even to those who don’t deserve his forgiveness. So he isn’t mad at Harry, because he understands why this was such a big deal for him. He finally gets to live the life that was cut so short for him, and Louis knows that if he was in his place he’d probably feel the same. 

So Louis isn’t mad at Harry, far from it, but he also can’t face him right now. It doesn’t feel right and he doesn’t know if going back there, after the things he said, will ever make it feel like home again. He doesn’t know what changes over the coming months. Maybe it’s the fact that his health is deteriorating and a fast rate, or that for the first time he’s not content with just waiting around to die. He’s scared, and he hates feeling scared. And he wants to go home.

They’re sitting out on the back patio, him and Niall, listening to the wind chime that his neighbor just bought some odd weeks ago and enjoying the weather. It’s sunny again and for the first time in weeks, Louis isn’t so scared anymore. “I think I’m ready.” He says. He’s been thinking about this for a while, what to say to Niall. Because Niall is home, although he is his caretaker, Louis considers him more like a grandson.

“What are you talking about, Lou?” Niall looks at him, and he’s gone all teary-eyed. Like he knew this was coming.

Louis nods, “I’m ready.” Because Niall is home, but so is Harry, and he’s been missing home an awful lot lately. “To go home,”

**Next Week**

San Junipero is windless for the first time in a long time. 

When Harry tells Louis as much he laughs and laughs then he calls Harry crazy. And then he stops and looks around, doesn’t have to reach up to fix his hair and grins and tells Harry he’s right. Harry smiles and shrugs, “It’s usually windy as all hell all the time. It’s…I don’t know it’s calm now. The waves are even calm,”

Louis hums, looking out at the sea and climbing into their new car and turning on the radio. 4 Non Blondes is on, and Harry speeds on down the road with no destination in mind. Riding past nothing but sand and tufts of grass. The city far behind them. Harry has never thought about what the limits are here, if they will crash into some invisible wall or if San Junipero just goes on and on forever. But it’s only them now and whatever lies ahead, whether that be a wall or endless land. Harry turns the radio up higher, taking Louis’s hand and thrusting their clasped hands together into the air. He feels free, and more awake then in his entire life.

“And so I cry sometimes when I'm lying in bed.” Harry belts out, their hands still in the air. “Just to get it all out what's in my head. And I…oh baby I am feeling a little peculiar! And so I wake in the morning and I step outside…”

Louis looks over at him, yelling, “And I take a deep breath and I get real high! And I, scream from the top of my lungs what's going on?”

Louis can’t help but laugh, taking his hand away and leaning over to kiss his boy deeply. They’re the only cars on the road, so Louis doesn’t fear crashing, and if they did they would just get up and dust themselves off anyway. Ready to jump into their next adventure hand and hand. Harry looks down at his ring clad hand placed on the steering wheel and can't help the butterflies that erupt in his stomach. The weight of the ring on Harry’s finger feels right, and it still makes him giddy when Louis comes home with another one for Harry to wear.

As soon as Louis pulls away Harry yells, “And I say, hey-ay-ayy! Hey-ay-ay! I said hey, what's going on!”

They continue to speed down the road hand and hand sharing kisses as they go along. Louis is wearing the jacket that he wore when they first meet (Harry cries when Louis tells him he wore it when he went to meet him before). And now they have forever and ever, and even a little more than that.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! [Here is the link the edit I made!](https://leedsau.tumblr.com/post/190199693116/you-caught-me-at-the-right-time-by-aiienharry)


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